I will not stop VHP from building temple: Gupta

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 28. The Uttar Pradesh Government will not come in the way of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or the Bajrang Dal constructing a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya unless it became a law and order problem.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Ram Prakash Gupta, said the ``Babri Mosque was demolished peacefully'' (Shantipoorvak tareeke se Babri masjid dhay gayi thi). If the VHP and the Bajrang Dal were to try and rebuild a temple at the disputed site, ``Why should I stop them? We will come into the picture only if there is a law and order problem.''

He was addressing a press conference here today.

Mr. Gupta's response gave the impression that, for him, the demolition was not a law and order problem despite the fact that it violated a Supreme Court order and that Uttar Pradesh Government failed to act in accordance with the affidavit submitted by the then State Chief Minister to the court.

He confirmed that he would not be contesting the by- elections next month as Lucknow was his constituency and there was ``no by- election there''.

About the controversial State legislation on building places of worship, he said the decision was taken in view of the growing presence of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), especially along the Uttar Pradesh-Nepal border.

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